York City issue another statement with further clarification from the board on John Askey, who was sacked on Wednesday morning.
The 58 year old, was appointed on a short-term deal following the sacking of Steve Watson in November 2021 when the club were in the National League North.
After being named permanent boss in March, he led them to promotion to the National League through the playoffs.
Statement | The club board wishes to bring supporters further clarification regarding today’s difficult decision#YCFC
— York City FC (@YorkCityFC) November 16, 2022
As mentioned in our earlier statement, the club board recognises that some fans will not support or fully understand the termination of John Askey’s contract. As such, the board wishes to clarify some of the reasons why we reached this difficult decision.
On 3rd November, John reached out to directors Alastair Smith and Mike Brown to express his unhappiness in his role at the football club. He went on to explain that he didn’t wish to remain at the club but was not in a position to resign due to his personal circumstances.
Both directors expressed their desire to retain John as manager, find solutions to improve lines of communication and working practices within the club. John indicated that he felt there were no possible solutions or remedies.
Prior to these discussions, the board had invited John to a meeting to discuss budgets and the club’s wider finances, but unfortunately John cancelled the meeting at short notice. We felt that this had been a prime opportunity to improve understanding and build a better working relationship with John with the ultimate aim of improving performance.
Given John’s desire to leave the club and his belief that the situation was irretrievable, after seeking legal advice, the board unanimously agreed that it was in everyone’s best interest to part company with John. We believe that presented with such circumstances any business would have reached a similar conclusion.
The board recognise the huge support and love for John amongst supporters following his success last season. We share those emotions which meant that we could not take this decision lightly and made every effort to avoid having to make it. Sometimes things happen behind the scenes of many football clubs that require the board to make difficult decisions.
We hope that this goes some way to help supporters understand our decision and that everyone gets behind the squad this Saturday.
– STATEMENT ENDS –
INITIAL SACKING STATEMENT
Following a number of discussions between the board and John Askey in recent weeks, York City Football Club has today decided to part company by ending his contract of employment.
Given John’s popularity and his incredible success last season, we understand that many fans may be upset and confused by this decision. However, after taking numerous factors into consideration the board are confident that it is in the best interests of the football club.
Recruitment of a new manager will commence immediately, and we aim to make an appointment by the end of the month. An interim manager will be appointed from within the club’s existing staff, with a further announcement due shortly.
We are eternally grateful to John for his efforts to help us gain promotion last season and wish him the very best of luck in his future career.
Twitter users reacted as York City issue another statement with further clarification from the board on John Askey…
@PacFish: Sounds like complete and utter bollocks
@RobdHay: Nowt like throwing him under the bus… again
@morganzwynne: Unhappiness because of a certain Mong that stands and waves at games. But it’s fine as he smiles that’s the main thing!!
@jackdides07: Go on then tell us why he wanted to leave. Reckon I’d easily work that one out. mugs
@CoopzFM: Throwing him under the bus again… Two sides to every story!
@YCFC_jack_: Fan attendances now 📉📉📉📉
@65shadow: So it was all John’s fault. Why was John unhappy at the Club? Was it owt to do with #CheekyChairman?
@YCFC_Coops: Clash of personalities between a respected football person and a clown. No wonder Askey couldn’t see a future.
@GarryVaux: so he was unhappy because of Henderson then
@_DannyJohnston: Worst decision you’ll make
@ConnorFewster1: No money Henderson leave the club 🤡
@Max_Innes: You cannot run a football club like a business. Football should always come first and given the level we are at and the level of manager we have lost, we certainly should have had a great manager to come in immediately before getting rid, regardless of business situations
@Dan19451945: I would want to leave if i was askey after that clown on the radio
@hollycrane: Askey declaring he wants to leave 2 days after Glen’s Radio York interview……
@PSV_Atsuya: Yes we’ve been in bad form recently, but this guy promoted us back to the NL after having struggled to reach NLN playoffs for years, then started off the season so well that we looked like a promotion candidate. Sacking Ashkey is a disgraceful decision, nothing less
@YCFC1972: So the chairman does not back him publicly on the radio & there is obviously some beef between the 2. John realises he’s working for an absolute helmet & is sacked. I will tell you whatever bridges the club have tried to build have been certainly been washed away. #ycfc
@George_ycfc: Barrel of lies. And it’s not just “fans” disappointed take a look at some of our own players. Disappointed and shocked, John doesn’t deserve the way he’s treated by the clowns at the top simple
@LRbix: This statement is a joke, just full of lies.. 😐
@jack_biggo: Sounds like a whole lot of lies
@bixie2016: Your job as a board is to help us run a successful football club. Keeping the best thing to happen to YCFC in over a decade (John Askey), whilst not spending a fortune was basically your only task. You’ve blown it in a few months!!
@JM__19__: How strange that he didn’t reach out to the Chairman. I wonder why
@davenico9: You missed mentioning the bit where thr chairman gave a car crash interview where he didn’t back Askey at all days before this alleged decision to want to leave happened?
@alenbardet: Are @YorkCityFC @ycfcchairman and @ycfcst going to front up on @BBCYorkSport tonight? I bloody hope so!
@Yorktone: This stinks, you’re the custodians of our club. Having won the battle of ridding us of McGill you just lost the war to create a credible football club. Have a long, long look at yourselves.
@tommyouting: ‘Bloke fired for missing a meeting’ isn’t the win you think it is, chaps.
@davidjcraven: This is better in bringing context, but it is clear the problem here was the behaviour of the chairman @ycfcst brought in. Were there really no red flags across four years of meetings with Henderson?
@mrwoolford: Whats so frustrating about this statement is it makes no acknowledgment of the clear inflammatory public comments of the chairman about John. Not rocket science.
@DunnDunny: So many questions. Doesn’t fit with what Johns own brother said on Twitter earlier either? 🤔
@Sam_Hendry14: Ah yes, let’s throw Askey under the bus. If Glen hadn’t gone out on public radio slagging him off, and actually backed him, maybe he’d feel welcome and want to manage us. Then again, he turned down offers elsewhere to stay here. Not adding up again
@MickCordukes: Askey forced out by this useless self serving chairman. Fans will vote with their feet . It’s the chairman that should of left . Just get out of our club immediately.
@MickCordukes: Meet the new chairman he’s the same as the old chairman . #HENDERSONOUT
@Mr_A_Ako: @ycfcst said this morning that they were completely unaware of this, but this statement says their chairman was party to the meeting! Supporters Trust need to get their story straight! #ycfc
@energygeologist:
@YorkCityFC…the reasons for his unhappiness?
1. Chairman wanting his son played?
2. Chairman cutting costs?
3. Chairman conducting car crash radio interview?
4. Chairman thinking he knows more than seasoned manager?
5. Chairman wanting to sell best players?
#hendersonout
@PaulSankey12: This is absolute garbage. Simply trying to lay the blame on Askey when it’s clear the Chairman was meddling on the football side of things. To say the fans are disappointed is an understatement #ycfc
@DMIbbott: A blatant and frankly pathetic attempt to lay all the blame at JA’s door. I personally gave @ycfcchairman the benefit of the doubt after his recent car crash interview on @BBCYork but this tells us all everything we need to know
@janesy315: What a joke of a statement. You can’t put it on his desire to leave and make it sound like he didn’t want to be here being the issue. He left because of the chairman’s actions and words. No going back from this…
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